Southern California -- this just in

Woman killed on freeway in Santa Clarita when disabled car is struck from behind

December 30, 2009 | 1:44
pm

An 18-year-old North Hollywood woman was killed early this morning when the car she was riding in ran out of gas, stalled and was struck from behind by another vehicle on Interstate 5 in Santa Clarita, authorities said.

The incident occurred at around 12:40 a.m. in the southbound lanes of the freeway, south of California 126, said Officer Jennifer Connelly, a spokeswoman for the California Highway Patrol.

The deceased woman, whose identity has not been released, was a passenger in a Honda Civic, which became disabled in the No. 3 lane, Connelly said. The car was struck from behind by a Toyota Tercel, driven by a 43-year-old woman from Pacoima, authorities said.

The teenager was taken to Henry Mayo Hospital in Santa Clarita. She died a short time later, Connelly said.

The driver of the Honda, a 46-year-old North Hollywood woman, suffered minor injuries, as did the driver of the Toyota, Connelly said.